Is anybody else eating 1200 calories per day?

fitnesspal5

Hey guys,

I thought i'd throw this question out here because this is the calorie allowance that MFP recommended to me BUT I am finding that I am growing increasingly hungry towards the latter part of the day.

I just wondered whether anyone else is eating this amount of calories and if so,what level of success did you find?

Thank you!!!

EmilyJ1979

I always feel fine off 1200 but I guess it depends how much you have to lose and how much you are used to eating normally. Your body should adjust in a few days

southern_gurl

I also have a calorie allowance of 1200 per day. For the first couple of weeks, I found myself growing hungry at night, the time I used to snack. I drank a ton of water and made healthy snack choices when water just wouldn't cut it (ie veggie sticks, oatmeal, etc) I seem to be handling it a little better now, but maybe you need to re-evaluate, you may need more calories in a day. Hang in there, it does get easier.........:flowerforyou:

cdcrn

I am doing 1200 cal/day and I find that I am more hungry during the early afternoon. I have only been doing it for almost two weeks and it was/is quite an adjustment. I thought i was eating fairly well, but when i started logging my food i realized I was not eating as well as i had thought. I eat a bigger dinner than i do lunch so that probably helps me not get too hungry in the evening. I usually eat cereal for lunch, depending on the day. Also, if i know what im having for dinner, I try to log in early in the day so that i can see where i can have more calories!! Hope this helps!!

LindaSueBakk

Are you exercising? If so, you should be eating a large portion of your exercise calories.

dutaut89

I've just started this a few days ago and my goal is also 1200 calories a day. I'm only trying to shift a few pounds, but what I'm struggling with is that today for example, my calories add up to 1150 (ish) and so I'm told i'm under eating, but i'm ever so slightly over on my carb content .

I did find yesterday that I was starving by dinner time but I've just been keeping fresh fruit around to snack on!

I'm now trying to drink plenty of water and eat lunch a little bit later in the day!

Hope that helps

sarahbagley

i just workout and then have calories added to my allowance. another trick i use is, i don't stay up anymore. i go straight to bed when i start feeling hungry.

SweetToothFreak

MFP gave me a 1200 calories per day also but when I work out I get extra calories. If I didn't get those extra calories there is no way I would make it! If you are working out you have to log your exersice and then it will add the calories back on. I have actually found that I am less hungry in the afternoon but breakfast... Watch out!

lorinjer

I tried eating at least half my exercise calories and it made me feel sick so now I stick with 1200 (except for this week and next, Im doing 1000 , per doctor, to help jump start my metablism

appleshells

I am not set at 1200 but there are many days when that's all I eat. Yesterday with excercise I was only at 900 calories. It was so hard but I had to force myself to "snack" to bring myself up to 1200. It will get better.

tamlyn27

Try to increase your protein. ( shrimp and chicken are pretty low), It helps you feel like you are eating something substancial. Good luck and keep going!

merebear

I think 1200 is the typical allotment for "average" dieters. I am actually at 1000 (or that's my goal) so hunger is something that goes with it. I had to get out of the mindset that just because it is lunch doesn't mean I have to eat a typical "lunch meal"....I didn't need a whole sandwich, maybe just the meat only with a yogurt, or half a sandwich. I have always heard to not think it terms of "meals" but 5-6 equal portioned "mini-meals" or snacks throughout the day.

OperaticAnnihilator

I eat 1200 calories a day but I also work out as often as I can so I eat my extra workout calories at night and I usually end up not eating all the excess bc I am so full. LOL

Kminor67

Up your exercise, so you can eat more.

Sandyslosenit

I was eating 1200 up intill last week , then it updated and added another 90 cals. for a total now of 1290 cals a day. There's some days when I find it very hard to get everything in ! When your eating to meet you goals and everthing is a healthy food you should be feeling very satified. But if your eating to satify cravings your foods my be to high in calories. Veggies are very low calorie but very filling. Good luck to you on this journey !

musicgirl99

Hi, I'm also on a 1,200 calorie-a-day "budget". I'm noticing that I get more hungry mid-afternoon. I think it's because I usually only have salad for lunch and for breakfast and dinner I always eat some sort of good carb (usually oatmeal for breakfast and a side of whole wheat pasta and veggies for dinner). Anyway, when I find I'm hungry I either try and have a healthy snack with minimal calories or just drink a ton of water which usually helps fill me up. In addition, I try and keep busy so that I don't notice the hunger. Everyone is different. That's just what works for me.

Kristina0202

I usually eat about 1100 a day and I rarely ever feel hungry.

Dafrog

when i first joined i shot for the 1200 calorie plan. I felt hungry and deprived and constanly stressed out over my numbers; so I changed my goals to 1 lb. loss (which added about 270 calories). I find it so much easier, i still have days that I aim for a 1200 calorie goal, altgough I leave my setting the same. The key to this program is to examine what you are eating. If one does not feed their body the nutruient it needs then your body will crave and causes binge eating. Cut out as much processed foods as you can, eat fresh fruits and vegetables, watch your sodium. Oh and another kicker just because a label says 0 calories per serving, doesnt make it true. After all who sprays Pam for 1/4 of a second.

MelanieHodgkiss1962

I'm on 1200 calories and can often manage on that, but it's the fat allowance I try to keep on top of.

sophieshaped

I'm on 1200 and have been for ages... and still find it difficult! One bad decision and I'm over my target. It takes planning and good snacks to make it, but it is possible. I actually find the meals part fine, e.g. I can eat low cal meals and feel full and satisfied, but I do find I'm hungry all morning so I constantly snack! Just listen to your body and whatever you do, if you're hungry, eat.

Mkleder

MFP has my recommendation set to 1200 calories and it works great for me. When I add in exercise, I put in heavy workouts and burn around 800 extra a day. I don't eat all of my exercise calories though, since that number is based on the readouts from the gym machines which tend to overestimate. I do try to add in 300 additional calries on gym days, though.

As for your hunger being an issue, cut down on the fruit which is high in sugar and try snacking on raw veggies, protein, low sodium V8 juice, and whole wheat crackers instead. They are more filling and won't spike your blood sugar the way fruit does. That was one I had to learn the hard way as I am a fruit grazer of the first magnatude.

My veggies of choice are baby carrots, raw sugar snap peas and sliced raw zuchinni.

scagneti

I was on 1200 calorie for several weeks and did lose and then I plateaued for a week and felt hungry all the time and wasn't enjoying it (I certainly wasn't going to live like that for the next 60 years!), so I changed my weight loss to 1lb per week (which at 146 lbs was probably more suitable anyways) three days ago to 1360 calories per day. I've already broke through the plateau and I feel much better and often more "satisfied" than just simply "not hungry". The extra few calories made a huge difference!

potluck965

1200 for me. I had to get used to feeling hungry.

Success? Look at my ticker

kristie874

Try to eat 300 calories at each meal and three 100 calorie snacks each day. If you keep food in your stomach every couple of hours it should help. Also make sure there is fiber and protein in each meal and snack. They take longer to digest, keeping you feeling satisfied longer. Drink a glass of water with each meal and snack as well. You can up your calories by changing the number of pounds you want to lose per week. If you have it set to lose two pounds per week you may want to change it to one. You'll be allowed more calories each day and still will see results. Good luck!

fitnesspal5

Thank you very much for all of your replies!

There are definitely some tips there that I am going to make use of. I think my main problem is that I have been still eating some higher calorie foods but just making sure that I stay within my allowance. I am going to start steering away from anything processed and enjoy fresh foods and lots of veg. I know that my calorie allowance will definitely stretch when I do this and I probably won't even reach 1200 each day.

Oh and I have GOT to increase my water consumption! I know that makes all the difference.

You're all doing so well and you are definitely motivating me to stop overeating! I just LOVE reading all of the progress that everyone is making and the tips that are offered. You're all inspirations!!!

missie21

My intake also tell me 1200 but I try to wait to have my breakfast as late as possible just so I can have more food options later in the day.. I find that in the afternoon I want stuff to nibble on and after dinner is really when I want snacks.... but i also work out 3 days a week and that helps it gives me more food/ cal.

Good luck to everyone... I have just started my journey...

jrhm

I have been on 1200 since I started in at the end of Dec 2009. I am within 1 pound of my goal weight and have plateaued. But I found that I would plateau for a week or two, sometimes even longer, then I would drop 2 or three pounds in days. I don't eat my exercise calories, and seldom eat all of the 1200 calories allowed. When I exercise at night I feel a lot better and don't get the hungries before going to bed. I save a low calorie snack for evening, like a sugar free fudgsicle, sugar free pudding, or something like that. I have also stopped having a "big" meal each day; and found that if I cut what I was eating, before mfp,in half I could eat about anything I wanted and not blow the day and not have cravings either.

emchamberlain

I'm at 1500, plus I eat most of my exercise calories. (That's what MFP has set for me to lose 1lb/week.) Life is too short to be hungry!

pgray1229

I was at 1300 calories a day, but my weight loss has slowed down, so I am now going down to 1200. I was always satisfied on 1300, but I don't see a big issue with cutting out 100 calories.

Bukawww

I am doing 1200 and practice daily modified IF, eating between 12pm and 8pm. I keep busy in the morning and slowly sip and enjoy iced tea and/or a protein mocha till noon. Otherwise nights are miserable for me... This way I get to eat to satisfaction at least twice and then exercise, bath, & bed.

If I stall, I actually increase my calories and carbs for one day, to the max (total calories burned for the day)...Go back to 1200 the next and I can count on a couple lb loss the next morning. So far, it's worked every time.

MissKriss3

Hey guys,

I thought i'd throw this question out here because this is the calorie allowance that MFP recommended to me BUT I am finding that I am growing increasingly hungry towards the latter part of the day.

I just wondered whether anyone else is eating this amount of calories and if so,what level of success did you find?

Thank you!!!

At 1200 calories MFP is designed for you to eat back your exercise calories, so technically you should be eating more than that.